*** Source: Thompson, Robert A., Historical and descriptive sketch of Sonoma County, California. Philadelphia: L.H. Everts & Co., 1877, 122 pgs. Notice: This data is donated to the Public Domain by TAG, 2004, and may be copied freely by anyone to anywhere. *** ---page 44--- exception of two miles, the road passes through its land. It owns all the timber- land on the old Bodega Rancho that lies in Ocean township. Its two mills-- the Tyrone mill and the Moscow mill (at Moscow),--have each a capacity of forty thousand feet per day. Each mill employs from eighty to ninety men, and in the logging for both mills about sixty cattle are employed. The logs are hauled to the mill by small locomotives, on tramways laid with railroad iron. The lumber, as at all the six saw-mills, is loaded directly on the cars, and not rehandled until delivered at the wharf in San Francisco. The saving of labor expense and breakage, from this fact alone, will at once be appreciated by any one familiar with the number business. The next mill below is one of the mills of the Madrona Land and Lumber Company, near the intersection of Howard creek with Russian river. This company has about one thousand acres of land, and the mill has a capacity of twenty thousand feet per day, employing fifty men. A branch tract runs three-fourths of a mile up the Russian river to another mill of this company, having a capacity of twenty-five thousand feet per day, and employing sixty men. Following down the Russian river we pass the Moscow mill (already men- tioned), and cross the river on the four-hundred-foot bridge to Duncan's mill. Mr. A. Duncan, the senior proprietor, is the oldest lumberman on this river. He owns four thousand acres of land, principally on Austin creek which emp- ties into Russian river opposite Moscow. Duncan's mill has a capacity of thirty-five thousand feet per day, and employs seventy-five men. It is estimated that the lands owned by these parties will produce six hun- dred million feet of lumber. Immediately upon the completion of the road, the southern terminus of the northern coast stages for Stewart's Point, Gualala, Mendicino City, Point Arena, and Navarra Ridge, was change to Duncan's Mill, making a great sav- ing in time for all the northwest coast. A description of this road would be incomplete without referring to the great inducements it offers to pleasure-seekers and sportsmen. It is not a suf- ficiently strong assertion to say that no route of eighty miles out of San Fran- cisco offers such a variety of beautiful scenery. Moscow and Duncan's Mill, (opposite on the river,) are two charming spots, and as picturesque as any in the State. The ocean winds, tempered by the distance of seven miles up the Russian River, prevail all through the summer. Here are to be found the finest fishing and shooting. Austin creek is one of the notable trout streams in the State; quail abound; deer are still in the forests and glades. Salmon can be caught in large numbers in the river. One can leave San Francisco early in the morning, and at one o'clock in the afternoon arrive at Moscow for dinner---spend a day, and, leaving the next morning, be back in San Francisco at noon. The largest hotel to be found in the county, (120 by 70 feet, two sto- ries), is kept by John Julian, one of the most accomplished and popular land- lords in California. He possesses that rare faculty of making everybody feel as though he was the most favored of all the numerous guests: consequently everybody is especially well pleased, and contented with himself and his host. *** end ***